Although a wide variety of corrosion inhibitors are known, individual corrosion inhibitors are not effective for all uses. For example, a corrosion inhibitor which is effective at low temperature, atmospheric pressure and neutral or slightly acidic conditions would not necessarily be effective at high temperature, high pressure and highly acidic conditions. The mechanism of corrosion within a system is so unique that, despite theoretical considerations, selection of corrosion inhibitors is often more experimental then deducible.
As primary oil and gas fields become depleted, deeper wells are drilled to tap new sources of petroleum and gas. Increased depth, however, poses increasingly severe corrosion problems. The conditions of, for example, deep gas and/or oil wells place great corrosive stress upon the tubing and other equipment employed in such wells due to the highly oxidizing atmospheres and extreme temperature and pressure conditions. Since, the cost of drilling wells is very expensive, the importance of effective corrosion inhibition is evident. Given the depth to which such wells need to be drilled, conventional corrosion inhibitor delivery systems may be ineffective in achieving any desired level of corrosion protection in some embodiments. Additionally, similar challenges are presented by other types of aboveground and/or underground structures such as wells, boilers, storage tanks, cisterns, septic tanks, pipes, offshore legs, etc.
Various systems are currently utilized in an attempt to provide corrosion protection in gaseous environments in different vertical structures including coatings and inhibitors. However, such coatings are generally limited by being applied on new pipes and other structures or during replacement of pipes and other structures within a structure. Pre-coated pipes and other structures are not protected at welded joints assembled in the field, unless an additional coating is applied after welding. For some of the above structures it is impossible at all. U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,480 describes one embodiment of an inhibitor distribution system. However, efficiency of the inhibitor continuously decreases due to the decreasing of its concentration during application and the service life of the inhibitor can be unpredictable.
Given the corrosion issues facing the various types of aboveground and/or underground structures, a system, or method, is needed to enable one to deliver, in a reliable and controlled manner, one or more corrosion inhibiting compounds to protect the one or more metal-based portions or components of an aboveground and/or underground structure.